Playing the Melody
by ELunamoon
Summary: Grell is put on the spot and made to sing...He surprises them all..Done for a contest.


"Since you all have made a rather _unexpected _visit today; the young master thought he would take advantage of it and make a test run his latest _toy_ that he plans to release within the next few months." Sebastian said to the small gathering of people who invaded Ciel's peace and quite on evening. Not that he had much to do anyway…still, it was annoying when his acquaintances showed up at his door with not so much as a call in advance.

"Grell, please get the box that is by the door in the next room on your left." Sebastian said, turning to the meek butler. Grell nodded in response, fearing he may fumble over his words like always, and went to go get whatever contraption that was about to be unveiled. He found the box exactly where Sebastian had told him it was and bent down to lift it. "Agh!" he exclaimed after finding that the box was much heavier than it appeared to be. Deciding to try again, Grell bent down again and then lifted with his legs after getting a firm grasp on the cardboard cube. "What is in here…?" Grell mused to himself.

Opening the door again was going to prove to be another difficulty. Grell balanced the box on one leg and turned the door knob. Walking through the door to the room where Lau, Ran Mao, Madam Red, Sebastian, and Ciel waited, Grell almost praised himself for making it into the room without messing up. Almost. Grell somehow (like always) managed to trip over his own feet, sending the himself crashing to the ground.

"Grell, you couldn't even perform that simple task?" Grell looked up to the frowning face of Sebastian who held the almost dropped box under one arm, obviously not finding it as heavy as Grell had.

"Grell! Do not cause any more trouble!" Madam Red scolded from her position on the small plush couch where she was sitting alongside Lau who held Ran Mao in his lap.

"I-I'm sorry…" Grell said in a small voice, resisting the urge to jump out the window on the other side of the room. Grell returned from his suicidal thoughts and looked at an outstretched hand connected to the smirking butler. "Such kindness…" Grell muttered accepting the hand with a small blush across his face. Now back on his feet, he returned to stand at the side of Madam Red, regaining all of his previous curiosity with what was inside the box that had caused him so much embarrassment.

Sebastian looked to Ciel who gave nod and Sebastian proceeded to opening the box, pulling out what looked like a small television and two black topped cones. "This is called," Sebastian began "Karaoke, meaning 'empty orchestra'. Young master usually doesn't get involved with new and upcoming technology but after a meeting with a Japanese inventor, he couldn't resist." Sebastian turned to smile at Ciel who gave a glare in return.

"A song of your choosing will play in the background and you will sing the lyrics that appear on this screen. To make your voice louder, you must sing into this microphone." Sebastian said holding up one of the cone shaped objects. "It's a very simple concept. So, who would like to try it first?" he asked.

A moment of silence followed. Everyone slightly nervous of trying the new contraption.

"Well, maybe the earl should try it first, considering he helped design it." Lau said with an innocent smile that hid his devious intent.

Ciel glared at the Chinese man with a murderous shine to his eyes. He had planned not to participate in this at all. He was on the verge of demanding that Sebastian sing until Madam Red spoke up.

"Grell will try it first." She said, saving her nephew from embarrassment, deciding to sacrifice her butler instead. Ciel sunk back into his chair, relieved that she had said something. Grell on the other hand was not nearly as relieved.

"M-Madam!" He exclaimed with a stutter, looking at her with wide eyes. He would certainly make a fool out of himself… How could she have suggested him!

"Ah what's wrong Grell?" She asked innocently still keeping a sweet smile one her face, "Hurry on up there! We are all waiting."

"B-but Madam! I don't think that-"

"You wouldn't want to disobey me, would you?" she asked cutting him off.

Grell sighed and began making his way to the front of the small crowd, tripping over his own feet all the way. Sebastian handed Grell the microphone and a sheet of paper containing a long list of available songs to choose from. Grell scanned the list and not to his surprise, found nothing he knew.

_Howl Brings You Unhappiness_

_No Medicine for All the Regret in the World_

_Yes, my Lord_

_What a Noisy Team, Those Three!_

_Red or Black?_

Grell paused at the last title; intrigued by the choice of words that the last song title held. Deciding that it couldn't possibly get any better from here; he choose the last song.

"Sebastian…ah, this one." Grell called over shyly to Sebastian, knowing that this couldn't end well. Sebastian nodded and went to the machine pushing the button 5 times before jazz music blasted through the small speakers. Ahh this music sounded fast…he wondered if he could keep up.

"Red seems to seethe when drenched in black

I can't blend with anyone but you" Grell sang, voice starting out shaky at the unexpected starting of words that were projected on the screen.

(Let's not) "and yet I fell in love"

(It's irritating) "No, no it's boring!"

~This relationship, this relationship~

"A stolen spark blooms in the darkness"

~I want you to break, I want you to be upset~

"Until this chaotic night ends" As Grell heard more of the song; his voice grew more comfortable with the range and soon he was adding his own style to the song forgetting his shyness and singing as if no one were watching.

"If not my dice, not a card, then roulette, who's dead?

With a bold rouge and those crazy rules, spin! Black or red?

Bet! Don't you be afraid

(you can see this game eh?)

not yet!"

Tonight "love or die?" Red?

(Black?)

My fangs desire to dig in deeply

(Falling down, "how alive?")

Red?

(Black? Poison will flow into your insolence) As Grell sang along with the enchanting higher voice that accompanied him in the song; he got lost in the lyrics, completely surrendering himself to their meaning.

Tonight "love or die?" Red?

(Black?)

On the bed of a corpse that smells like fresh blood

(Falling down "how alive?")

"Red?"

(Black? To get entangled in a rich tragedy)

"Front, back, man, woman, love, hate, red, black, me, you, is it possible for such an impure mix to come together?"

(The black smears out the red)

When the song ended; Grell opened his eyes to meet the widened ones of his forgotten audience. Grell's face blushed a shade of red that would rival that of his hair bow. Madam Red was the first to start clapping and cheering proudly for her butler. Lau clapped as well along with the robotic clap of Ran Mao. Ciel politely showed his appreciation of the performance by clapping but really thought that Grell singing was superb. Sebastian, even though masked with that straight face with no emotion, also thought it was very impressive and entertaining.

Grell quickly bowed and returned to his position next to Madam and hoped everyone would forget this experience concerning him.

"Grell! I didn't know you could sing so well! You must perform for me some more when we get back home!" Angelina said, slapping Grell hard on the back.

Grell gave a nervous laugh in return and turned his direction ahead to see who would be singing next.

"Ciel, I think it's your turn now~"


End file.
